Apocalypse Deck (closed)

[Eleana]

After her little talk with Plunkett and Rumina, Eleana have to go the the ship to get ready for the departure. She knew from her Captain and the Witch that Rhyad was in trouble, but he don't really need her to help him. First, he was the first mate and very capable of protecting himself. And second... well, Rumina's harpies will take good care of anyone who's trying to invade the Apocalypse.

She take a small boat, and then climb the rail to get on the ship. What she saw make her smile. The two opponent give her quite a good show and don't seem aware of her presence. She cough loudly, and then smile wildly at Rhyad.

''Do you need my help, dear !?''

Of couse, he don't need help. But she just love to annoy him with his weakness.

[Talya]

At once Talya heard a cough from somewhere in the deck & looked around her opponent towards the source of it. Her eyes grew wide as she took in the presence of a neatly dressed woman aboard, who's clearly in good terms with the ugly dog she's fighting, from the way she addressed him, almost like two playmates teasing one another.

Why on earth would that one chose to appear this precise moment? Isn't there enough in her bags already? She has to escape this mad man, which isn't proving to be easy, as she's still wrapped around her ankle by the whip & can't even stand properly! Why? Why one moment the entire ship appears to be totally abandoned & the next she's having a run for her dear life, being threatened by stranger after strangers? & how did she appeared totally out of the blue? A shiver ran down her spine as she registered her next thought.. Is this ship... haunted?

*Keep your wits about yourself, Talya!*

"Oh good! New toy." she intended to sound confident, but all she managed was a weak squeak.

[Rhyad]

Rhyad growled, tightening his held on the whip to knock down again Talya on the Nomad deck, using Eleana arrival as a diversion.

"About time. I was wondering if you were down drunk like all the others." he grunted, glaring to his crew-mate before trying to tackle down Talya once for all, placing a foot on her back. "Now, you make a move and she'll have you fried. Understood?" he muttered harshly, rising an eyebrow to the whirlwind of mist slowly forming on deck.

"I so hate magic."

[Rumina]

Rumina let her powers slowly subside, the teleporting spell finalizing with her and Plunkett appearing on the Apocalypse Deck. The witch was unnaturally pale, grasping tightly the sparkling red pendant at her neck while leaning on Plunkett's arm: Too much efforts in a small time weren't good for her still week energies, specially after the rising Tayr al Ramad from the depths of the ocean and the efforts she made to populate her new island with a decent army.

She should have waited for father and Scratch, maybe. But she was sick of waiting and trashing time around: she wanted her revenge. Soon.

"Now, pestering peasant. If you don't want me to dust you and scatter your ashes in the wind in the next five minutes... you let the bald one tie you up, and then maybe I'll be grateful and spare your life." she announced to Talya, kindly, glaring for a momento to both Rhyad and Eleana. Useless peasants.

"Of course, I can't speak for the owner of the ship. He usually doesn't like people messing around with his properties, don't you Pet?" she added a moment later, her voice sugary-coated while staring at Plunkett.

[Talya]

Talya grimaced at the tackle & struggled to get away, but the foot weighed like a mountain at the small of her back. She groaned & tried to brandish the sword she still managed to clutch in her hand, but all her efforts were in vain as she can merely lift her hand for scorching pain seared through her veins & made her go all limp.

She sighed, exhausted & exasperated. The whole situation is getting out of her hands now. Two more misted out of nowhere, the male one practically looking like a Grim Reaper, his female companion was no better herself. & there she was, being all useless & pathetic, unable even to lift her head to get a better view of everything that's going on.

[Plunkett]

Plunkett was slightly dizzy from the whirlwind magic Rumina did, & he wobbled a bit to regain his stance on the deck, but he ignored that. Rumina was clutching on to his side, saying something to him in a purry tone, he was ignorant of that, too. He didn’t much liked the witch performing magic on him; in any other time, he would’ve snapped right at her face, but that too can wait; for now, he can’t take his eyes off the tiny figure of a woman who dared to set foot in his ship uninvited, let alone attack it. If looks could kill, then that would be the moment Talya would see her last living daylights.

For a brief moment, he just glared at her, registering the shocked look on her face, then he snatched his hand out of Rumina’s grasp & started towards her. Her small figure was struggling under Rhyad’s feet, that held her down securely, groaning & muttering something incomprehensible time to time. What a pity! This stupid wench can’t even fight her way out of a simple fight, & she came to steal his ship! What a pity!

But then the sneer vanished from his face as pure disdain took it’s place. He stepped forward, knocked away the sword that was clutched in her hands, bent down & grabbed hold of her tiny neck, forcing her eyes, which clearly betrayed her emotions, to look into his. “So, I gather you believe yourself a guest here! Tell me, do you like what you see? Did my battered ship live up to your expectations?” he growled at her, but not giving her the chance to reply, he started again. “What? You are too awed to speak? Now now, don’t be too shy. We are waiting eagerly to hear your side of the story. Why did you thought of honoring ourselves with your presence in the first place?” He demanded, menace dripping from every words.

[Rumina]

Few things could anger Rumina more than being treated harshly, like Plunkett did. One of those, was not having answer to her questions, specially when she was trying to be pleasant.

Sod off the good manners, her patience was gone. She just stared to the scene Plunkett and his crew were making around their prisoner, grasping to every fiber of her magic while she clutched the Apocalypse railing.

In a matter of minutes, dark clouds gathered on the clear sky of Tayr Al Ramad, right above the Apocalypse. High pitched screams could be heard, signalling the harpies quickly approaching the ship at the call of their mistress, while waves started to crash against the side of the ship, making the deck lull slightly.

"Now. Can you please make your crew step away from my newest slave, Plunkett Pet, or do I have to make room myself for her to breath?"

[Talya]

Talya was staring wide-eyed at the sneering face hovering above, her mind was too blank to come up with a sensible answer, & her neck ached terribly like being crushed into powders. Never in her life did she felt so tortured & helpless. Tears of frustration glistened in her eyes; her vision became blurry from it. Oh how she wished she had some magical ability to mist her way out of this bizarre situation she got herself into! “Why?” She screamed in her mind. Why must she be the one being forced spread-eagled on the deck, threatened sinisterly by this dreadful creature; instead of being the one thrashing that bastard’s life-force out of him? Pure hatred & fury welled up inside her; she wanted nothing more but for some miracle to be able to beat him into pulp, then cut him into pieces to feed to the dogs…

All of a sudden, the ship started swaying ominously, the sky turned pitch-black & high-pitched screams filled the air, like the hell being unleashed at once. Talya stared at disbelief. What’s going on? More importantly, something very weird was knocking at the edge of her mind, “Did I do that?”

[Plunkett]

Plunkett was somewhat startled at the abrupt change of the scenario. Then it occurred to him. The witch’s doing magic again! He could not understand, why on earth..

He stopped at the mid-thought as he turned to look at Rumina, who’s looking oddly blue, & clearly vexed, which by the looks she gave him, probably had to do with something on his account. He furrowed his eyebrows, concentrating hard on what of him could’ve irritated her so, but said nothing at all, for he knew better than to engage Rumina when she’s not in best of her moods.

He released Talya’s neck with a strong jerk, hissed at her for the last time, & got up, gestured for Rhyad & Eleana to draw back from her. He pulled her at her feet, then pushed her brusquely towards Rumina. “Newest slave? How come this wretched creature appealed to you to earn such privilege?” he snapped, quirking one eyebrow.

[Rumina]

Harpies flew above the Apocalypse, and Rumina raised her head to stare at her creatures for some moments before lowering her gaze to Plunkett and his crew.

"She almost knocked out your precious first mate, didn't she? And she makes you incredibly rude, so... she's worth my attention. - she pointed out, smiling sweetly, venom dripping from every word - As for you, peasant. Follow the harpies right to the castle and wait for me right there. Do anything else, and they'll rip your limbs apart." the witch sternly muttered to Talya, glaring to the woman with fierce determination before focusing back to the Apocalypse crew.

"As for you, I believe you've business to do, Plunkett. Sinbad is heading to Basra so you set sail to join him, I'm in no mood to use my magic to make your travelling easier right now, so help yourself. You'll find out that in Basra there's already a rumor about you starting Slaves Auctions again... just follow the lead. Make the mighty captain believe you're mistreating poor, innocent, grateful young women and that the entrance is guarded by magic. Fight him, let him leave with the bag that Witch in Training will receive soon. Than, wait for me."

Rumina spent a long moment, glaring to the people in front of them, daring them to challenge her right in that moment.

"Questions?"

[Plunkett]

Plunkett glared at Rumina for a moment, then retorted, “So, you want me to leave for Basra, get into a fight with that useless ex-love interest of yours, & then have him escape right through my fingers?” He was fuming with indignation! First, she snatched away his prisoner, claimed her to be her newest slave, then she addressed him like she was ordering a servant around, right in the face of his crew, & now she wanted him to make a complete fool out of himself in front of his sworn- enemy! He shoved this chain of infuriating thoughts aside; it would be no good to lose his temper with Rumina right now, with all those harpies hovering around. He frowned, making an effort to compose himself, & stated nonchalantly, “Where’d that magical entrance lead to? Will we let Sinbad enter it, or make sure that it can never be reached? & last but not least, how am I going to profit from all these?”

Plunkett might cherish some romantic feelings towards Rumina, & might be willing to do anything of her bidding, but, first & foremost, he was a pirate.

[Rumina]

"Once he reaches the magical entrance, we strike... and you'll be able to slice our beloved Captain throat, Plunkett. 'Till that moment, you follow the plan, unless you want me to get really angry, Pet. And believe me... you've yet to see my wrath." Rumina smirked, bringing a lock of dark hair behind her shoulder, while a thunder stroke the sky.
"Beside that, Plunkett... I rose this island from the sea. Are you really wondering how can you obtain profit from me beside the obvious?" the witch asked seductively "Once you do your job, just ask and you'll obtain, Pet. And stop acting like a beaten dog, Plunkett, it doesn't suit you. It's not going to be the first time you lose a fight to Sinbad, but hopefully it's going to be the last time." she added in a snort, rising her hand to the sky, a flash of red light erupting from her fingers to concentrate at Eleana's feet, slowly shaping as a leather bag.

"It has to reach the brunette travelling with Sinbad, keep it in mind. And keep in your mind what I told you in the last days about Dim-Dim wife." Rumina muttered to the resident witch of Plunkett crew, before turning back to stare at the men. "I believe that's all."

[Talya]

So, these disastrous happenings had nothing to do with her, as she feared, for it’s obvious that it was the bidding of the pale looking woman person, Talya supposed must be a witch of some kind, who had been wearing a look that suggested there was some nasty smelling stuff under her nose. She must be fairly powerful, from the way the others on the deck behaving so edgy since her arrival, none seemed to be able to meet her fierce gaze; & from the way those weird bat-like creatures stationed around her.

A wave of despair swept over her, for a moment she considered taking advantage of the distractions to engineer her escape, but all her plans seemed futile, so she let herself being dragged at her feet & shoved roughly towards the witch without further protest.

The oversized man was speaking of someone being taken as a slave, & the witch person replied something about knocking down a first mate- Wait! They were talking about her! The witch wanted to take her as her slave! For a moment or two, Talya glowered incredulously, her eyes shooting daggers at the woman. All her life, she valued her freedom above everything else & had done everything in her power to uphold it, & that ugly bat, standing just a few paces from her, so casually declared to take it away, as if it was only a snap of her fingers. She was already ordering her around! What does she think of herself? Her royal evilness??

She was about to retort with all the abuses that came to her mind that instant, but the conversation changed its course & the witch mentioned a certain sailor to be tricked into getting into a fight- the name sounded very familiar. Sinbad! They are discussing on how to trick Sinbad into trouble!

Her sense of defending a good old friend added to her own humiliation & this time, she let her voice be heard- solid & husky from determination, her hands balled into fists, taking a step forward.

“How dare you plan to ambush my friend while I’m still alive & kicking?”

[Rumina]

Rumina merely turned her head, quirking an eyebrow to stare to Talya.
"Are you requesting to be killed, peasant? Later, maybe. I see we've to talk, first, about our mutual friend. And about your chances of survival and profit." she pleasantly pointed out, her venomous smile disappearing a moment later, grasping the pendant at her neck with even more energies. *Take her to the castle and make sure she doesn't go anywhere* she ordered to the harpies through her mind, and moments later two creatures of hers started to circle above the Apocalypse, approaching Talya.

[Talya]

“Oh no!”

Looking up, Talya cursed under her breath, her mouth had gone dry. The harpies swooped down over her, their claws sharp & menacing, reaching out to rip her to shreds…

“Think Talya!” a voice screamed in her head, “Think of something, Anything!”

Her leather bag was suddenly too heavy, its belt tightening against her throat. Talya fumbled frantically to get it off herself; it was that very moment her fingers brushed against something solid inside- The Ruby! Her Ruby- almost the size of her fists! All those long nights of craving & planning after it flashed through her mind, now that it’s finally in her hands-- Oh well! What good is it when you’re up for being barbecued?

In the merest fraction of a second, she snatched out the gem from the bag, took her aim, and then, with all the force she can muster, threw it at one of the harpies.
…

The harpy merely ducked out of the way, & the ruby went hurling through the air at a certain surly sorceress deep in thought, sparkling gracefully against the evening sky.